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Earthquake Mitigation Study on Viscoelastic

Dampers for Reinforced Concrete Structures
ZHAO-DONG XU
Civil Engineering College, RC&PC Key Laboratory of Education Ministry, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210096, China (xuzhdgyq@seu.edu.cn)
(Received 16 March 20041 accepted 2 May 2006)

Abstract: Viscoelastic (VE) dampers are one of the most common earthquake mitigation devices. This
paper addresses the mathematical modelling of VE dampers and the dynamic analysis of structures with VE
dampers. In this paper, the equivalent standard solid model, a new mathematical model of VE dampers, is
used to describe the influence of temperature on the energy absorption features of VE dampers. Elastoplastic
time field analysis, frequency field analysis and shaking table tests are used to analyze responses of a 1/5scale three-story reinforced concrete frame structure with and without VE dampers. Comparisons between
the numerical and experimental results show that the VE dampers can be modeled by the equivalent standard
solid model and that the VE dampers are effective in reducing the seismic responses of structures.

Keywords: Viscoelastic dampers, shaking table test1 dynamic response1 earthquake mitigation

1. INTRODUCTION
Improving the earthquake-resistance of structures using a variety of mitigation devices has
received considerable attention in recent years. Among the available devices, viscoelastic
(VE) dampers are considered to be an ideal shock absorption device because of their costeffectiveness and high reliability. Many studies and tests on VE dampers (see, for example, Chang et al. (1992), Inaudi (1996), Kasia et al. (1993), Lee et al. (2002), Shen and
Soong (1995), Tsai (1994) and Xu (2001)) have shown that the energy absorption properties
are dependent on the ambient temperature, excitation frequency and strain amplitude. Several mathematical models, such as the Kelvin model, Maxwell model, standard linear solid
model, complex parameter model, four parameters model and fractional derivative model,
have been proposed for reproducing the experimental behaviour of VE dampers. Of these,
only the fractional derivative model can reflect the influence of temperature on VE dampers1
it is, however, so complex that it is difficult to apply in structural analysis. In order to verify
the effectiveness of VE dampers, many shaking table tests on structures with VE dampers
have been carried out (Chang et al., 19911 Chang et al., 19961 Foutch et al., 19931 Lee et al.,
19901 Lin et al., 19911 Lobo et al., 19931 Ou and Zou, 1999). Most of test models were
steel structures, however, and there is little experimental information on reinforced concrete
structures.

Journal of Vibration and Control, 13(1): 2943, 2007

DOI: 10.1177/1077546306068058

1 2007 SAGE Publications

1

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30 Z.-D. XU

Figure 1. The standard linear solid model.

This paper presents a new mathematical model (the equivalent standard solid model) for
VE dampers, which can describe the influence of temperature on the energy absorption features of VE dampers. Shaking table tests on 1/5-scale three-story reinforced concrete frame
structures both with and without VE dampers were carried out. Then elastoplastic analysis
of the test frame with VE dampers was performed, in which the structure was modeled using
the trilinear stiffness degeneration model and the damper was modeled using the equivalent
standard solid model. Experimental and analytical results show that VE dampers are effective in reducing the dynamic responses of, and damage to, structures. It is also shown that
nonlinear analysis of structures with VE dampers is acceptably accurate when the damper is
modeled by the equivalent standard solid model.

2. THE EQUIVALENT STANDARD SOLID MODEL

Temperature and frequency are the main factors that affect the energy dissipation property
of VE dampers. Previous research (Chang et al., 19921 Inaudi, 19961 Kasia et al., 19931
Tsai, 1994) has shown that the storage modulus G 1 (which reflects the VE dampers stiffness) decreases with increasing temperature and increases with increasing frequency, and the
loss factor 1 (which reflects the VE dampers energy dissipation capacity) has an optimum
value which varies with temperature and frequency. The Kelvin model, Maxwell model and
standard linear solid model are usually used to simulate VE dampers energy dissipation
property. The Kelvin model of VE dampers consists of a linear spring in parallel with a
viscous element, and the Maxwell model consists of a linear spring in series with a viscous
element. Details of the two models are explained in the literature (Shen and Soong, 19951
Xu, 20011 Zhou and Liu, 1996), and thus they are not discussed in detail here.
2.1. The Standard Linear Solid Model

The standard linear solid model of VE dampers consists of a linear spring in series with the
Kelvin model, as shown in Figure 1. The relationship between the stress and the strain is
given by
2 2 p1 23 4 q0 3 2 q1 33

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(1)

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EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION STUDY ON VISCOELASTIC DAMPERS

31

where q0 , q1 and p1 are coefficients related to the VE material, and 2 and 3 are the shear
stress and shear strain, respectively. For harmonic deformation, if the Fourier transformation
is applied to equation (1), the following equations can be obtained
1
2 1
2 3
G 1 4 q0 2 p1 q1 42 5 1 2 p12 42
1
2
1 4 6q1 5 p1 q0 745 q0 2 p1 q1 42

(2)

where 4 is frequency. When the frequency 4 increases, the storage modulus G 1 can be
increased by adjusting coefficients q0 , q1 and p1 . It can be seen from equation (2) that the
loss factor 1 will reach a maximum value at a fixed frequency. These characteristics reflect
the frequencys influence on the behavior of VE dampers, but this model cannot account for
the effects of temperature on the behavior of VE dampers.
2.2. Temperature-frequency Equivalence Theory

The storage modulus G 1 and the loss factor 1 are functions of the temperature T and the
frequency 4. Studies such as those of Zhou and Liu (1996) and Zhang (1990) show that the
temperature effect is similar to the effects of frequency, provided that the ambient temperature of the VE dampers is between their glass temperature Tg and Tg 2 1006 C, but inverse
(i.e. a low temperature has an effect equivalent to that of a high frequency, and a high temperatures effect is equivalent to a low frequencys effect). The effects of temperature and
frequency on VE dampers can be considered together if the storage modulus G 1 and the loss
factor 1 are expressed as
G 1 648 T 7 4 G 1 69 T 48 T0 7

1648 T 7 4 169 T 48 T0 7

(3)

where T0 is the reference temperature, and 9 T is the temperature transformation coefficient,

which can be described by the following empirical formula (Zhang, 1990)
9 T 4 105126T 5T0 75[52526T 5T0 7]

(4)

2.3. The Equivalent Standard Solid Model

In order to reflect the effects of temperature and frequency on VE dampers, the temperaturefrequency equivalence theory is applied to the standard linear solid model, and the equivalent
standard solid model is thus created.
The temperature and frequency ranges for VE dampers used in civil engineering are
5306 C 7 T 7 606 C and 0.1HZ 7 4 710HZ, respectively (Xu, 2001). Within these ranges,
the frequency 4 in equation (2) will be changed into the transformed frequency 9 T 4 and the
index of frequency will be altered so as to describe the effects of both the frequency and the
temperature on the parameters of the VE dampers. The storage modulus G 1 and loss factor
1 can be written as

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32 Z.-D. XU

Table 1. Comparison between experimental and analytical results.

T
520
510
510
0
0
0
0
10
10
20

4
1
1
2
0
1
0
5
1
5
1
2
1

Test tesults
G 1 (Mpa)
1
17
1
38
5
8
1
39
10
1
40
2
5
0
40
3
3
0
90
3
8
1
10
9
7
1
39
3
0
0
71
3
4
0
92
2
7
0
40

Calculated results
G 1 (Mpa)
1
12
333
1
3622
7
009
1
3635
11
236
1
3854
2
821
0
3588
3
423
0
8365
4
396
1
1148
12
114
1
3674
3
363
0
8094
4
257
1
0870
2
979
0
5594

2 1
2 3
1
G 1 4 q0 2 p1 q1 9 cT 4c 5 1 2 p12 9 cT 4c
1
2
2d
1 4 6q1 5 p1 q0 79 dT 4d 5 q0 2 p1 q1 9 2d
T 4

(5)

where q0 8 q1 8 p1 8 c and d are parameters related to the properties of the VE dampers, which
should be determined by statistical methods from the experimental data (Xu, 2001).
Equations (4) and (5) are the formulae of the equivalent standard solid model. In order
to show the effects of temperature on the properties of VE dampers and verify the suitability
of the equivalent standard solid model, the storage modulus G 1 and the loss factor 1 are
calculated for different temperatures and frequencies using Equation (5). For the VE material
9050A, q0 4 2
7405 8 106 , q1 4 3
3825 8 105 , p1 4 0
0048, c 4 1
34, d 4 0
58 (Xu
et al., 2001). The calculated results and test results are listed in Table 1. Obviously, the
storage modulus G 1 and the loss factor 1 of VE dampers vary sensitively with temperatures
and frequencies. Analysis of the results shows that the numerical results of the equivalent
standard solid model fit well with the experimental behaviour of VE dampers and the model
can describe the influence of temperature and frequency on the properties of VE dampers.

3. TEST SETUP AND TEST PROGRAM

The test frame models are two identical 1/5-scale three-story plain reinforced concrete frames
(i.e. the model scale factor Sl 4 0
2). In order to increase the stability of the frame and to
facilitate adding weights, two identical frames are used. A lumped mass system with a mass
of 1354 kg for the first story, 1265 kg for the second story and 1130 kg for the roof is used
to simulate the prototype structure. Overall, each test frame was 1.2 m in span, with story
heights of 0.8 m for the first story and 0.66 m for each of the other two, as shown in Figure 2.
The cross sections of the beams and columns are 508110 mm and 80880 mm, respectively.
The conventional VE damper, as shown in Figure 3, which consists of three steel plates
clamping two VE material layers, is adopted. The VE material is 9050A material, made by
Wuxi Shock Absorption Company in China. The shear area and the thickness of the VE
layer are 60 8 50 mm and 5 mm, respectively.

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EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION STUDY ON VISCOELASTIC DAMPERS

33

Figure 2. The test frame model.

Figure 3. A conventional viscoelastic damper.

The test setup and instrumentation are designed to measure floor accelerations, lateral
floor displacements, strains in beams and columns and the shear force of the VE dampers.
For this work, impact excitation and free-vibration tests were carried out to identify the
dynamic characteristics of the structures before every major earthquake-simulation test. The
time-scaled El Centro and Taft earthquake records are used as the seismic inputs for the
shaking table tests. The peak accelerations are 0.12 g, 0.24 g, 0.50 g, 0.70 g, 1.00 g, 1.20 g
and 1.40 g. Tests of the structure with and without VE dampers are carried out by installing
or removing the bolts connecting the dampers and braces. It must be noted that tests of the
structure without VE dampers were conducted only with the 0.12 g and 0.24 g El Centro
records.

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34 Z.-D. XU

Table 2. Parameters of the test structure and dampers.

Parameters

2oor

The
test
structure
VE
dampers

First
Second
Roof

Mass
(Kg)

676.9
632.5
565.0
VE
layers

Stiffness
(8106 N/m)

3.073
4.035
4.035

Story
height
(m)

Crack Crack
displa- shear
cement force
(mm)
(KN)
0.80
1.264
3.625
0.66
0.987
3.717
0.66
0.842
3.717
Shear area
of each layer
(m2 )
3 8 103

Yield
Yield
displa- shear
cement force
(mm)
(KN)
4.359 6.086
3.780 6.407
3.440 5.802
Thickness
of each layer
(mm)
5

4. TEST RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

4.1. Comparison Between Test Results and Numerical Results

Two VE dampers were added to each floor of the test structures. Elastoplastic analysis
of structures with VE dampers was performed, with the structure modeled using the trilinear
stiffness degeneration model and the VE damper modeled using the equivalent standard solid
model. The parameters of the test structure and the VE damper are given in Table 2. The
parameters used in the equivalent standard solid model were q0 4 2
7405 8 106 , q1 4
3
3825 8 105 , p1 4 4
8 8 1054 , c 4 1
34, d 4 0
58, and T0 4 946 C. The temperature during
the tests was 86 C. The acceleration data measured by the accelerometer at the base plate was
used as the numerical acceleration input for the earthquake wave.
The storage modulus G 1 and the loss factor 1 of the VE dampers were determined for
the test temperature using the equivalent standard solid model. The equivalent stiffness kd
and the equivalent damping cd can be calculated from the following formulae
4

kd

4 n

G 21 2 G 22 A cos2 5 h 

cd

4 n  G 2 A cos2 54h 

(6)
(7)

Where G 2 is the loss modulus of VE dampers, G 2 4 1G 1 , 4 is the vibration frequency of the

VE dampers (the first natural frequency of the structure with VE dampers will be adopted in
the calculation), and  is the angle in radians between the brace and the horizontal direction
(in this test,  4 [0.186 0.161 0.161] ). It should be noted from equations (6) and (7) that
when the structure is damaged, the equivalent stiffness of the dampers kd will not change,
but the equivalent damping of dampers cd will change with the natural frequency of the
structure.
The stiffness matrix K and the damping matrix C, which account for the contribution
of the VE dampers to the structure, can be obtained through the following equations

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5
6
K 4 6
7
5
C

6
4 6
7

k1 2 k2
5k2
c1 2 c2
5c2

ki 4 n d i 9 kd

5k2

35

9
k2 2 k3 5k3 9

5k3
k3
8
5c2
9
c2 2 c3 5c3 9

5c3
c3
3

ci 4 n d i 9 cd

(8)

(9)

(10)

where ki and ci are the stiffness and the damping that the VE dampers in the i-th floor
contribute to the i-th floor of structure, respectively, and n d i is the number of the VE dampers
attached to the i-th floor of structure. The contributing stiffness matrix K and damping
matrix C are added to the stiffness matrix and the damping matrix (respectively) of the
structure with VE dampers, and the elastoplastic dynamic responses of the structure with VE
dampers can then be analyzed.
Figure 4 shows the experimentally obtained and numerically simulated time-history response to the 0.12 g El Centro earthquake of the structure with two VE dampers for each
floor. Figures 5 and 6 show the same results, but for the 0.12 g Taft earthquake and the
0.24 g El Centro earthquake, respectively. During the tests, cracks can be found in the structure when the earthquake wave reaches 0.24 g. This shows the experimental structure has
entered its nonlinear range. Under the 0.24 g El Centro earthquake wave, the maximum experimental and numerical displacement responses of the roof are 4.002 mm and 3.468 mm,
respectively, and the maximum experimental and numerical acceleration responses of the
roof are 3.23 m/s2 and 3.05 m/s2 , respectively. It can be seen from Figures 4 to 6 that the
numerical results agree well with the experimental data for both earthquake waves, which
indicates that the numerical results of the structure with VE dampers are adequately accurate when the trilinear stiffness degeneration model is used to simulate the structure and the
equivalent standard solid model is used to simulate VE dampers. The error between the numerical and experimental results may be caused by one or more of the following: (1) the
calculated stiffness and mass of the structure differ from the actual ones1 (2) the calculated
stiffness of the VE dampers is different from with the real one1 (3) the calculated damping of the structure differs from the measured values1 (4) the simplifications implicit in the
elastoplastic analysis of the structure.
4.2. Comparison between the structure with dampers and without dampers

In order to study the shock absorption ability of VE dampers, the dynamic responses of the
structure with and without VE dampers are plotted together in Figure 7, which shows the
experimentally obtained dynamic response of the structure with two dampers on each floor
and the structure without dampers under the 0.24 g El Centro earthquake.

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36 Z.-D. XU

Figure 4. Comparison between the experimental and numerical results for the viscoelastic structure
under the 0.12 g El Centro earthquake.

It can be clearly seen from Figure 7 that the displacement and acceleration responses of
the structure with VE dampers are smaller than those of the structure without VE dampers.
It can also be seen that the reduction in the acceleration is smaller than the reduction in the
displacement. The experimental maximum lateral roof displacement of the structure without dampers is 7.284 mm, while the experimental maximum lateral roof displacement of the
structure with dampers is 4.002 mm1 a reduction of 45.1%. The experimental maximum roof
acceleration of the structure without dampers is 5.10 m/s2 , while the experimental maximum
roof acceleration of the structure with dampers is 3.23 m/s2 , a reduction of 36.7%. These
indicate that when VE dampers are installed in the structure, the damping and the stiffness

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EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION STUDY ON VISCOELASTIC DAMPERS

37

Figure 5. Comparison between the experimental and numerical results of the viscoelastic structure
under the 0.12 g Taft earthquake.

of the structure are increased and the dynamic responses of the structure are reduced. In this
test, the displacement response was reduced by about 4055%, and the acceleration response
was reduced about 3040%. Experimental study shows that the reductions of displacement
and acceleration are more evident for stronger earthquakes, because the interstory drifts of
the structure increase with increasing earthquake excitation amplitude, and thus the shear deformations and the energy dissipation of the VE dampers are also increased, and the dynamic
responses are reduced more effectively.

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Figure 6. Comparison between the experimental and numerical results of the viscoelastic structure
under the 0.24.g El Centro earthquake.

4.3. Frequency Field Analysis

In order to show the earthquake mitigation effects of VE dampers more clearly, frequency
field analysis on structures with and without VE dampers were conducted. Figure 8 shows
the roof acceleration response energy spectra for both numerical and experimental structures
with two VE dampers in each floor and the experimental structure without VE dampers, all
responding to the 0.24 g El Centro earthquake wave. When VE dampers are added to the
structure, the peak acceleration response energy index is reduced from 576 to 290. At the
same time, the peak acceleration response energy index moves to the right, showing that

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EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION STUDY ON VISCOELASTIC DAMPERS

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Figure 7. Comparison between the dynamic responses of structures with and without dampers.

the first natural frequency (corresponding to the peak acceleration response energy index) is
increased: The experimental frequency of the structure without dampers is 5.91HZ, the experimental frequency of the structure with dampers is 6.42HZ, and the calculated frequency
for the structure with dampers is 6.10HZ. This increase in the natural frequency is due to the
increase in stiffness produced by the dampers. It can also be seen that the numerical results
fit well with the experimental results, verifying the accuracy of the adopted model. It must
be noted the natural frequencies here are derived from the roof acceleration frequency spectra analysis, and are slightly different from the following natural experimental frequencies

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40 Z.-D. XU

Figure 8. Comparison of frequency field structure response spectra.

(derived from the inherent vibration analysis software of shaking table tests) and numerical
frequencies (derived by solving the eigenequations the of structures), although these natural
frequencies are very near to one another for the same structure.
4.4. Dynamic Characteristics

The j-th modal equivalent damping ratio can be determined by the modal strain energy
method (Ou and Zou, 19991 Xu, 2001).
j 4

1 Tj K j
Ed j
4
4 E j
 Tj K j

(11)

where E d j is the per-cycle energy dissipation of the VE dampers for the j-th modal shape,
E j is the j-th modal strain energy of the structure, 1 is the loss factor of VE dampers, K
is the stiffness matrix due to the contribution of the VE dampers, K is the stiffness matrix
of the structure with VE dampers, and  j is the j-th modal shape of the structure with VE
dampers.
The natural frequency f and the damping ratio  of the structure with VE dampers can be
calculated once the stiffness matrix and the damping matrix of the structure with VE dampers
have been determined. The experimental frequency f and damping ratio  are determined
using the coupled vibration analysis software from the shaking table tests in accordance with
the results of impact tests. For the test frame without VE dampers, the experimental first
modal natural frequency f is 6.01HZ and the experimental first modal damping ratio  is

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EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION STUDY ON VISCOELASTIC DAMPERS

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Figure 9. Damage characteristics of the model frame.

5.12%, while the analytical first modal natural frequency f is 5.35HZ, and the first modal
damping ratio  of reinforced concrete structure is 5.00% in accordance with criterion of
reinforced concrete structure. For the test frame with VE dampers, the experimental first
modal natural frequency f is 6.97HZ and the experimental first modal damping ratio  is
7.01%, while the analytical first modal natural frequency f is 6.02HZ and the first modal
damping ratio  is 6.82%. Experimental results show that when VE dampers are added to
the structure, the first natural frequency f and the first damping ratio  of the structure
increase by 15.97% and 36.92%, respectively. It was also shown that the numerical results
agree well with the experimental results. The experimental results are slightly larger than the
numerical results because the calculations of the stiffness and the damping of the structure
are not accurate enough.
4.5. Damage Situation

The appearance of cracks was monitored during the experiment. Cracks were first located in
the middle part of the beams, under the 0.24 g El Centro earthquake. They subsequently subsequently appeared at the ends of the beams, and at the top and bottom ends of the columns.
According to previous experience of shaking table tests, the bottom ends of the columns in
the first floor were the first components to crack and yield, these were given additional steel
reinforcements to ensure the success of the experiment. In such cases, the cracks transfer
from the bottom of the first floor columns to the columns central part, as shown in Figure 9. When the structure was subjected to the 1.4 g El Centro earthquake, the base slab slid

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42 Z.-D. XU

and was destroyed, the added weight in the roof jumped, and plastic hinges formed in the
columns of the first floor.
Finally, under a 0.5 g resonant frequency (5.9HZ) sine wave, the structure was further
damaged. A 12 mm width crack appeared, the steel began to yield in a beam in the roof
floor (caused by the roof weights bump), and 3.5 mm width cracks formed in the columns
of the first floor. Under the 0.24 g earthquake (medium earthquake) cracks began to arise
in the structure, primarily at the bottom of columns, and at both ends and the mid-span of
beams. Even under the 0.7 g earthquake (strong earthquake) the structure was not seriously
damaged and could be used after repair, demonstrating that the structure with VE dampers
has excellent seismic resistance. After the 1.4 g El Centro earthquake and the 0.5 g resonant
sine wave, the VE dampers themselves were still not destroyed. This indicates that VE
dampers have excellent limit deformation ability.

5. CONCLUSIONS
This paper summarizes an experimental and numerical study of VE dampers as energy dissipation devices in structural applications under seismic loads. The following conclusions can
be obtained through the experimental and numerical study.
(1) When VE dampers are added to the structure, the stiffness and the damping of the structure were increased, thus increasing the natural frequency and the damping ratio of the
structure.
(2) The numerical method can accurately predict responses of the structure with VE dampers
when the trilinear stiffness degeneration model is used to simulate the structures behavior and the equivalent standard solid model is used to simulate the VE dampers.
(3) VE dampers are effective in reducing the dynamic responses of the structure under earthquake ground motions. In general, in the test described, the displacement responses can
be reduced by 4055%, and the acceleration responses by 3040%.
(4) VE dampers have excellent energy absorption ability and limited deformation ability.
Acknowledgement. Financial support for this research was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 50508010), Jiangsu Province Natural Science Foundation in P.R.China (grant number: BK2005410),
the Teaching and Research Award Program for Outstanding Young Teachers of Southeast University in P.R.China. This
support is gratefully acknowledged.

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